Forming press



April 1961 H. D. FRUEAUFF, JR 2,978,932

FORMING PRESS Filed Nov. 4, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 a ilk I j E 1 46 1 aim: MENTOR.

I3 L20 u/d Harry D. FrueauFF cTr BY T 1 W Afforneys April 11, 1961 H. D. FRUEAUFF, JR

FORMING PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 4, 1957 mm L T J f mw m mws fa 0 v r v 0 1T mnw H B Unite tates Patent FOG PRESS Harry D. Frueaufl, Jr., Birmingham, Ala. (R0. Box 4768, Panama City, Fla.)

Filed Nov. 4, 1957, Ser. No. 694,149 '4'Claims. (Cl. 78--9) This invention relates to a forming press and more particularly to improved means for working or forming material into desired shapes in separable dies.

Another object of my invention is to provide a forming press of the character designated in which there is no loss of material due to the fact that the apparatus is adapted to form the material with such accuracy that all of the work material goes into the finished product, thus eliminating the necessity of further finishing operations, such as trimming or the like and adapting the apparatus for use with work blanks of a weight equal the weight of the material in the finished products.

Another object of my invention is to provide a forming press of the character designated which includes oppositely disposed material forming members which contact opposite ends of the work piece in the die, whereby the metal flows in both directions to reduce to a minimum the distance that the material flows within the die.

A further object of my invention is to provide a forming press which is adapted to produce articles which are more accurate in size and shape than articles produced by conventional type impact extrusion or forging apparatus.

-A further object of my invention is to provide a forming press which shall be adapted to produce articles which have better physical properties than articles produced by conventional type casting or screw machines.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a forming press of the character designated in which the die is in the form of separable sections which float relative to a stationary supporting structure and moves downwardly with the work blank prior to the forming operation and in which improved means is employed to retain the separable sections of the die in assembled working position until after the forming operation.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a forming press of the character designated which shall be simple of construction, economical of manufacture and one which is adapted to produce a maximum number of articles in a minimum of time and with a minimum expenditure of labor.

Briefly, my improved forming press comprises a die having separable sections and adapted to receive the work piece when in assembled working position. The outer surface of the die is generally downwardly tapered and is supported within a die holder having a downwardly tapered recess therein for receiving the die. The downwardly tapered recess in the die holder, corresponds generally to the outer surface of the die. Resilient means is interposed between the separable sections of the die whereby the die is urged upwardly and outwardly within the tapered recess. An axially extending opening is provided in the assembled die for receiving the work piece and the inner end of at least one material forming member which moves axially to form the work piece in the die. Means is provided for holding the die within the downwardly tapering recess while the work piece is being ice formed and for releasing the die after the work piece is formed whereby the work piece is released.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is H lustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the forming press in the position assumed after the work piece is formed;

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken generally along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, showing the forming press in position to receive the work blank;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, drawn to a smaller scale, showing the apparatus in the position assumed after the work piece has been stripped from the material forming member;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental view taken generally along the line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken generally along the line 6-6 of Fig. l and drawn to a smaller scale; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevational View showing one type of article which may be produced in my improved apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show a supporting frame 10 having a transverse base 11 secured thereto by any suitable means, such as by machine bolts 12. Mounted. on the base member 11 and secured thereto by suitable means, such as machine bolts 13, is a stationary member 143 which is preferably cylindrical in shape.

Telescoping within the member 14 is a die holder 16 which also may be generally cylindrical in shape. The portion of the die holder 16 indicated at 17, which telescopes within the member 14 is smaller in diameter than the upper portion thereof indicated at 18. The reduced diameter portion 17 of the die holder 16 is connected to the enlarged diameter portion 18 thereof by means of an annular shoulder 19 which is adapted to engage the upper end of the stationary member 14, as shown in Fig. 1, when the die holder 16 is in its lowermost position, as viewed in the drawings. The die holder 16 is urged axially away from the stationary member 14 by a plurality of coil springs 21 the lower ends of which fit in suitable recesses 29 provided in the base 11.

An annular recess 22 is provided in the reduced diameter portion 17 of the die holder 16, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Secured to the stationary member 14 and extending inwardly thereof into the annular recess 22 are suitable stop members 23, which may be in the form of radially extending pins.

The die holder 16 is provided with a downwardly tapered recess 24 for receiving a separable die member indicated generally at 26. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the die member 26 is provided with a downwardly tapered outer surface 27 which corresponds generally to the downwardly tapered surface of the recess 24. The die member 26 is provided with separable sections 26a, 26b and 260 as shown in Fig. 2. Each of the separable sections 26a, 26b and 26c is provided with relatively fiat vertically extending faces, as shown, whereby the faces of adjacent sections engage each other when the die is forced downwardly into the recess 24, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Suitable recesses 28 are provided in the faces of the separable sections 26a, 26b and 26c for receiving compression springs 29 whereby the sections are urged outwardly away from each other when they are not forced downwardly within the recess 24. It will thus be seen that when no pressure is exerted against the upper or outer end of the die 26, the compression springs 29 upon forcing the sections of the die away from each other cause the entire die 26 to move upwardly and outwardly within the downwardly tapered recess 24, as shown in Fig. 3. The

downwardly tapered recess 24 and the downwardly I tapered outer surface 27 of the die 26 form with a line passing through the axial center line of the die 26 an included angle of at least 15. -By providing an angle of at least 15 the die 26 does not stick within the recess 24 when it is released.

The separable sections 26a, 26b and 260 may be provided with arcuate inner surfaces which provide, when assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an axially extending opening 31 for receiving the upper or inner end of a stationary material forming member 32, which may be in the form of a pin or the like. However, it will be apparent that the opening 31 may be of other shapes and sizes. The lower end of the material forming member 32 is secured to the transverse base member 11, by any suitable means, such as by providing an enlarged head portion 33 adjacent the transverse base portion 11 which is adapted to fit in a suitable recess 34 provided in a disclike member 36 which in turn fits within an enlarged diameter portion 37 adjacent the lower end of the stationary member 14-. The disc-like member is thus held against movement relative to the stationary member 14. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the disclike member 36 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 38 for receiving the material forming member 32, the opening 38 being smaller in diameter than the recess 34. The disclike member 36 is also provided with suitable openings 39 for receiving the coil'springs 21, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6. The upper end of the material forming member 32 extends into the lower end of the opening 31, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and is provided with a suitable forming member proper 41 which is adapted to engage the work blank indicated at 42 in Fig. 3.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, mounted above and adapted for axial reciprocating movement relative to the die 26 is a power actuated ram indicated generally at 43. The ram is mounted in a suitable supporting frame indicated at 44. The lower end of the ram 43 is provided with an annular recess 46 therein whereby the lower end of the ram comprises an outer cylindrical member 47 and a centrally disposed member 48. Telescoping within the outer cylindrical member 47 is a sleeve like member 43 having an enlarged diameter portion 51 adjacent the upper end thereof which is in sliding engagement with the inner surface of the'cylindrical member 47, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Secured to the lower end of the cylindrical member 47 by means of machine bolts 52 is an annular stop member 53 which extends inwardly of the cylindrical member 47 in position to engage the enlarged diameter portion 51 of the sleeve member 49. The annular stop member 53 thus limits movement of the sleeve member 49 outwardly of the cylindrical member 4-7. The lower end of the sleeve member 49, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, extends inwardly to provide an inwardly extending annular shoulder 54 which serves as a stop for a coil spring 56. As shown in Fig. l, the lower end of the spring 56 engages the shoulder 54 and the other end thereof engages the upper or inner end of the annular recess 46. The sleeve member 49 is thus urged downwardly and outwardly of the annular recess 46 by the spring 56. The lower end of the sleeve member 49 is providedwith an outwardly projecting annular member 57 which is preferably of a dove-tailshape, as viewed in transverse cross-section.

Mounted on the die holder 16 by means of bolts 58 is an annular member 59. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the separable sections of the die 26 provided with a downwardly and outwardly sloping upper surface 61. The inner surface of the annular member 59 is provided with a downwardly and outwardly sloping surface 62 which corresponds generally to the outwardly and downwardly'sloping surface 61 on the die 26, whereby outward or upward movement of the die 26 is limited, as shown in Fig. 3. The upper end of the outwardly and downwardly sloping surface 61 of the die 26 terminates in a reduced 4 diameter portion 63 which extends substantially parallel to the axially extending opening 31. I o

Mounted on the annular member 59 are angularly spaced pairs of upstanding brackets 64. Pivotally mounted between each pair of upstanding brackets 64 by means of suitable pivot pins 66 are dog-members 67. Each dogmember 67 extends inwardly and has a downwardly and outwardly sloping surface 63 thereon which corresponds generally to the downwardly and outwardly sloping surface 61 of the die 26. That is to say, when the dog-members 67 are rotated in a direction for the downwardly and outwardly sloping surface to force the die 26 downwardly into the recess 24, the downwardly and outwardly sloping surface 68 engages the adjacent downwardly and outwardly sloping surface 61, as shown in Fig. 1. Each dog member 67 is provided with a notch 61 on the inner surface thereof in position to receive the outwardly projecting annular member 57. The notch .69 is provided with a lower contact surface 71 and an upper contact surface 72 whereby the outwardly projecting annular member 57 engages the lower surface 71 as it moves downwardly and engages the upper surface 72 as it moves upwardly.

The lower end of the centrally disposed member 48 is provided with an internally threaded opening 73 for receiving an externally threaded member 74 which in turn is connected to a depending member 76 having a centrally disposed opening 77 therein. The opening 77 extends axially of the centrally disposed member 48 and substantially parallel to the axially extending opening 31 in the die 26.

Mounted for sliding movement within the opening 77 is the upper end of a material forming member 78. The upper end of the member 78 is enlarged in diameter to provide an annular shoulder 79 which is adapted to engave a stop member 81, as shown in Fig. 3. A suitable vent opening 81 is provided in the depending member 76 in communication with the opening 77, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The opening 77 in the depending member 76 is enlarged in diameter adjacent the lower end thereof and is provided with internal threads 82 for receiving external threads 83 provided on the stop member 81. The stop member 8 1 may be provided with suitable recesses 84 for receiving a tool whereby the stop member 81 is moved into threaded engagement with the threads 82. It will thus be seen that the head or upper end of the material forming member 73 is adapted for limited axial movement within the opening 77. The lower end of the material forming member 78 may be provided with a suitable forming tool, such as a reduced lower end 86.

While I have shown the forming members 4-1 and 86 as being in the form of reduced diameter portions adjacent the ends of the material forming members 32 and 78, respectively, it will be apparent that forming members having other sizes and shapes may be employed. Also, while I show the die 26 as having an axially extending opening therein for receiving the work blank 42, it will be apparent that other shapes may be employed. In View of the fact that the separable sections of the die 26 move outwardly upon release of the dog-members 67, it will be apparent that the die could have recesses or undercut portions therein whereby the formed material would have enlarged diameter areas thereon. That is, the material thus formed could be easily removed from the die due to the fact that the separable sections of the die move outwardly away from each other after the material is formed therein.

To strip the finished product after the material has been pressed into the desired shape, I provide stripper means now to be described. Mounted on the frame 44 adjacent opposite sides of the ram 43 are depending brackets 83 and 89. Pivotally connected to the brackets 88 and 89 by means of pivot pins 91 and 92, respectively, are downwardly and inwardly extending stripper elements 93 and 94, respectively. The lower ends of the stripper elements 93 and 94 are relatively sharp as at 96 and 97, respectively, whereby they are adapted to engage the finished product indicated at 98 and strip the same from the forming member 86, as shown in Fig. 4. The stripper elements 93 and 94 are urged in wardly toward each other by suitable tension springs 99 and 101 which are connected to suitable transverse arms 102 and 103, respectively.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my [mproved forming press will be readily understood. With the apparatus in the position shown in Fig. 3, the work blank 42 is placed within the axially extending opening 31 in the die 26. The work blank 42 is of a precise weight which is equal to the weight of the finished product to be formed. With the dog-members 67 released, the springs 29 urge the separable sections 26a, 26b and 260 outwardly away from each other thus causing the die 26 to be in an elevated position in the recess 24. The forming member 41 on the stationary material forming member 32 engages the lower end of the work blank 42, as shown in Fig. 3. The ram 43 is then lowered causing the sleeve 49 to engage the stripper members 93 and 94 and urge them outwardly away from each other whereby the material forming member 78 passes freely therebetween.

As the ram 43 moves downwardly, the dove-tail projection 57 on the sleeve member 49 engages the lower surfaces 71 of the notches 69 on the dog-members thus causing the dog members to move into engagement with the downwardly and outwardly sloping surface 61 on the die 26, as shown in Fig. 1. As the ram 43 continues to move downward, the spring 56 is compressed whereby the dog-members 67 are held in firm contact with the die. The upper end of the material forming member 78 is then engaged by the upper or inner end of the opening 77 thus limiting movement of the material forming member 78 relative to the ram. Continued downward movement ofthe ram causes the die holder 16 and all of the apparatus associated therewith to move downwardly until the shoulder 19 engages the upper end of the stationary member 14, thus compressing the coil springs 21. The force exerted by the coil springs 21 is substantially stronger than-the force exerted by the coil spring 56 whereby the die holder 16 is held in raised position until the dog members 67 are moved into position to lock the die 26 in its assembled position withinthe recess 24, as shown in Fig. 1. Also, the coil springs 21 absorb the initial shock encountered when the shoulder 19 engages the upper end of the member 14. Further movement of the ram 43 causes the forming members 86 and 41 to move into opposite ends of the work blank 42, thus causing the material forming the work blank to flow in opposite directions to fill the space surrounding the forming members 41 and 86, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the apparatus shown, the ends of the forming members 41 and 86 do not contact each other, thus providing recesses 104 and 106 at opposite ends of the finished article 98 which are separated by a partition 107, as shown in Fig. 7. However, as pointed out hereinabove, the forming members and the die may be of various shapes and sizes.

After the article 98 is formed, as shown in Fig. l, the ram 43 is raised whereupon the coil springs 21 being stronger than the coil springs 56 urge the die holder 16 and the apparatus associated therewith upwardly whereupon the finished article 98 is stripped from the reduced diameter forming member 41 at the upper end of the material forming member 32. Upward movement of the die holder 16 is limited by the stop pins 23. Continued upward movement of the ram 43 causes the shoulder 79 on the material forming member 78 to engage the stop member 81 thus causing the reduced diameter forming member 86 to be partially stripped from the finished article 98. With the finished article 98 stripped from the forming member 41 and partially stripped from the forming member 86, the annular flange 51 on the sleeve member 49 engages the annular stop member 53. Continued upward movement of the ram 43 causes the dove-tail projection 57 to engage the upper surface 72 of the notch 69 whereupon the dog-members 67 are moved out of engagement with the outwardly and downwardly sloping surface 61 on the die 26.

Upon release of the dog-members 67, the springs 29 urge the separable sections of the die away from each other, whereupon the die moves outwardly and upwardly within the recess 24 to release the article 98. As the ram 43 continues to move upwardly, the sleeve member 49 moves out of engagement with the stripper elements 93 and 94, thus permitting the same to be drawn inwardly toward each other by the springs 99 and 101, whereupon the sharp ends 96 and 97 of the stripper elements engage the finished article to strip the same from the forming member 86, as shown in Fig. 4.

It will be noted that the distance of travel of the stop member 81 relative to the shoulder 79 on the material forming member 78 is less than the distance of travel between the annular stop members 53 and the annular flange 51 on the sleeve member 49, whereby the shoulder 79 engages the stop member 81 to partially strip the finished article 98 from the forming member 86 prior to contact of the annular flange 51 with the stop member 53 to release the dog-members 67.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised an improved forming press which is adapted to produce articles of various sizes and shapes. By providing a floating die member having separable sections which move outwardly away from each other after the article is formed therein, the article thus formed may have projections thereon or any suitable shape so long as the die sections move outwardly a sufficient distance to release the finished article formed in the die. By providing material forming members which engage opposite ends of a work blank, the material flows in both directions, thus reducing to a minimum the distance that the material has to flow. Furthermore, by providing a forming press in which the work blank is of a precise weight equal the weight of the finished article, there is no waste material and the expensive cost of finishing and trimming is eliminated.

While I have shown my invention in but one form it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A die assembly for a forming press comprising a separable die for receiving a work piece and having a generally downwardly tapered outer surface, a die holder having a downwardly tapered recess therein for receiving said die and corresponding generally 'to' said outer surface of said die, at least one material forming member disposed for axial movement in forming the work piece in said die, means urging the separable portions of said die outwardly away from each other whereby the die is urged upwardly and outwardly within said recess, dogs mounted for pivotal movement on said die holder in position to engage said separable die, and means operatively connected to said material forming member and disposed to move said dogs into engagement with said die upon movement of said material forming member toward said work piece prior to forming said work piece and to move said dogs out of engagement with said die upon movement of said material forming member away from said work piece whereby the die is positioned and held within said recess prior to and while the work piece is being formed and is released after the work piece is formed.

2. A die assembly for a forming press as defined in claim 1 in which the means operatively connected to the material forming member comprises an outwardly extending projection adapted for vertical movement relaseparable die for receiving a work piece and having a generally downwardly tapered outer surface, there being an axially extending opening through said die for receiving the work piece, a die holder having a downwardly tapered recess therein for receiving said die and corresponding generally to said outer surface of said die, a stationary material forming member extending inwardly of one end of said opening, a support member adjacent said stationary material forming member adapted to support said die holder, resilient means urging said die holder away from said support member, a movable material forming member disposed to enter the other end of said opening and adapted for axial movement relative thereto whereby said die holder is urged into engagement with said support member and the work piece is formed in the die, means urging the separable portions of said die outwardly away from each other whereby the die is urged upwardly and outwardly within said recess, at least one actuating member disposed to engage said separable die when moved in one direction to move said separable die downwardly and inwardly within said recess and to move away from said die uponrnovement in the opposite direction, and resilient means operatively connected to said material forming member and disposed to move said actuating member into engagement with said die upon movement of said material forming member toward said work piece prior to forming said work piece and to move said actuating member out of engagement with said die upon movement of said material forming member away from said work piece, whereby the die is moved downwardly and inwardly and held within said recess prior to and while the work piece is being formed and is released for upward and outwardmovement after the work piece is formed.

4. A die assembly for a forming press comprising a separable die for receiving a work piece and having a generally downwardly tapered outer surface, there being an axially extending opening through said die for receiving the work piece, a die holder having a' downwardly tapered recess therein for receiving said die and corresponding generally to said outer surface of said die, a stationary material forming member extending inwardly of one end of said opening in, the die, a movable material forming member disposed to enter the other end of said opening and adapted for axial movement relative thereto, resilient means urging the die holder toward said movable material forming member, a stationary support member in position to engage said die holder and limit axial movement thereof relative to said stationary material forming member whereby the Work piece is formed in the die upon axial movement of the movable material forming member, means urging the separable portions of said die outwardly away from each other, whereby the die is urged upwardly and outwardly within said recess, at least one actuating member disposed to engage said separable die when moved in one direction to move said separable die downwardly and inwardly within said recess and to move away from said die upon movement in the opposite direction, and means operatively connected to said material forming member and disposed to move said actuating member into engagement with said die upon movement of said material forming member toward said work piece prior to forming said work piece and to' move said actuating member out of engagement with said die upon movement of said material forming member away from said work piece, whereby the die is moved downwardly and inwardly and held within said recess prior to and while the work piece is being formed and is released for upward and outward movement after the work piece is formed.

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